Prince Charming. Don’t you love him? The perfect, superfluous man.
In whatever story he appears, he wanders around looking good, feeling good and looking for a good woman, the perfect bride. His manservant, of course, does all the heavy lifting, seeking out possible candidates, trying on shoes and disguising himself as the Prince to unmask fortune hunters and class prejudice.
“La Cenerentola” is Gioachino Rossini’s Italian opera based on the French version of the Cinderella story. Don Ramiro is the resident Prince Charming. In the Metropolitan Opera’s production transmitted live at Saturday, the role will be sung by the dashing tenor Juan Diego Flórez.
Ramiro’s servant, Dandini (Pietro Spagnoli) is the Prince’s go-between. The royal tutor, Alidoro (Luca Pisaroni), fulfills the duties of mentor and counselor. It’s Alidoro who functions as fairy godmother in this version. The step sisters, Clorinda and Tisbe, perform their requisite cruelties, and the punitive parental figure, in this case, is a stepfather, Don Magnifico.
The French version differs from the more famous German interpretation by the Brothers Grimm by being softer and kinder. The Grimm interpretation takes several dark turns beginning with a mother on her deathbed and a dutiful daughter attending the grave. Cinderella’s passive father remarries – a nutcase with two belligerent children. The entitled stepdaughters subjugate and torment Cinderella, and then there is the supernatural fairy godmother who appears out of nowhere to help Cinderella win the Prince.
Ultimately, the German version is a revenge tale. At the end, Cinderella’s bird friends peck out the stepdaughters’ eyes.
Perrault’s Parisian slant gives Cinderella, aka Cendrillon, a mean stepfather and a human tutor to help her win Prince Charming. There is no glass slipper. More important, there’s a soft ending – forgiveness all around and no bloody eyes.
The Cinderella Rossini wanted to pedestal is the girl who only wants is to be a princess and then accepted as a real daughter and loving sister. Talk about Hollywood endings.
Rossini’s virtuosic bel canto style (beautiful singing) suited the French version of the story well. In 1816, he had successfully completed “The Barber of Seville” and was on a streak, so he followed “La Cenerentola.” It opened in Rome early in 1817.
“La Cenerentola” sputtered at first, but it soon enjoyed international popularity, including premieres in London, Lisbon and New York. In the modern era, “La Cenerentola” has benefitted from a resurgence of interest in the bel canto style. Known for its dazzling arias, bel canto singing is full of vocal pyrotechnics, elaborate ornamentation, complicated runs, turns and filigreed sound patterns.
The American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato has risen to be the reigning queen of bel canto. She appeared in Santa Fe last summer and spellbound music lovers with a sparkling interpretation of The Lady of the Lake.
The 2014 Met production of “La Cenerentola” is a revival of a stylish 1997 interpretation by Cesare Lievi. Time travels forward to the 1930s with monumental, abstract sets and stylish period costuming. Expect to see everything from Cenerentola’s plain brown servant’s dress contrasted with her frothy wedding gown, faux military uniforms and bowler-hatted courtiers, plus designer gowns for the hated stepsisters.
This is the final MET Live in HD performance of the season.
jreynolds@durangoherald.com
If you go
The MET: Live in HD presents Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” (Cinderella), at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Vallecito Room of the Fort Lewis College Student Union. With American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Tickets are $23 general, $21 seniors, students and Met members, available online at www.durangoconcerts.com, by phone at 247-7657, at the Welcome Center at Eighth Street and Main Avenue or at the door. Note: Surcharges may apply. Running time; 3 hours. Sung in Italian with English subtitles.
